Impact of Fate
by AriandEzra
Summary: A chance meeting. A wedding. A romance. An infinite number of possibilities.
1. Chapter 1

**With what I have prepared for Heartbeats, you guys are going to need a bit of an outlet, myself included. So here's this story; I've had the idea in my head for days and I hope you all really like what I have in mind. The arc I've got planned for this one is really, really exciting. Heartbeats will be up sometime later in the week –I've already started writing the next chapter. **

**And just so you all know, I do not in any way, shape, or form SHIP WESLEY/ARIA.**

**Ten reviews or more and the next chapter will be longer and up faster. **

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.**

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There are chance moments in life that we don't ever see coming, but can change the course of our lives in the simplest of ways. For instance, if you neglected to get the gallon of milk on your grocery list and the ones in the store happened to be spoiled, you've just saved yourself and your family from a bout of food poisoning. Or there are the big ones like not reaching down for that penny on the sidewalk to avoid being hit by an oncoming cyclist. Some call it fate and some call it merely coincidence. The hopeless romantics are the ones who believe in it and hold onto the idea that their life has been mapped out for them and all they have to do is live it – that every moment is pre-defined and calculated to happen when it does. Then there's some who prefer to believe that things just _happen_; no reason why and no course, but that the event just took place.

Aria Montgomery didn't like to classify herself as a cynic, but she never wanted to be the kind of person she despised; the kind with their head in the clouds and blissfully unaware of the bad things in life. Sure, she daydreamed, but she never wanted to be ditzy and hopeful. Perhaps it was all the hardships she'd seen in her twenty two years. Or maybe it was just her nature to think that way. The brunette didn't like to believe in the idea of soulmates, not after her perfect parent's perfect marriage crumbled to bits with her father's infidelity. She didn't think that there was one person out there made for her and that the stars would bring him to her doorstep.

No, instead Aria did a little looking for herself and so far, things in her love life weren't too shabby. Wesley Fitz was his name, only a year older than she and in medical school which was promising. He was sweet, though sometimes flaky, but Aria wouldn't hold that against him. They both had their busy schedules with his classes and both their internships on opposite sides of the city. In retrospect, Aria and Wes couldn't have been more different – she loved to stay in and curl up with a book on her window seat while he liked to spend his Friday nights out at clubs. She preferred the old classic films while he liked the action packed ones of the present. Still, Wesley made her happy with the time they spent with one another.

At least Aria believed he did. Truthfully, she didn't know what exact happiness was anymore, but what she felt with him did the trick.

That dreary gray New York day was one for the books, though Aria didn't know it yet. It was a Sunday, leisurely and lazy except for the fact that Wesley had some operation to sit in on all day. What was usually their one whole day to spend with one another turned into a day on her own roaming the streets. Even though it rainy, the warm summer heat made her skin sticky whenever a raindrop hit. Aria barely shivered in her printed dress as she rounded the corner. A billion people seemed to cover the sidewalks – the city lived with a vibrant pulse that Aria loved. The upcoming weekend in the Hamptons while she and Wes attended a family wedding would be difficult, not only because she was meeting his mother and the rest of his family, but because her vivacious city would be a bus ride away and Aria would be trapped in the upper class suburbs. The only saving grace was the large expanses on beach awaiting her.

As she rounded the corner, so did one of those impact moments that Aria didn't believe in. It was coming, unbeknownst to her, like a train chugging along the tracks to Grand Central's terminal with a clear destination in sight. The back of her throat itched with the familiar tickle – the tickle that always came along with a morning without coffee. Starbucks clear in sight on the end of the block, Aria walked a bit faster, increasing her speed just as fate probably wanted her to so she wouldn't miss said moment. Of course, she overlooked her being there in that place at that exact time to be a coincidence, not a trick of destiny.

The bell ringed a chiming tone as she entered, but nobody turned to look back at her from their spots in line. That was something Aria loved about the city; nobody paid a judging glance if you walked into a small shop. Nobody whispered and pointed because you've grown over the summer and look different or got pink streaks in your hair as an act of rebellion. The monotonous line passed with a bored looking brunette staring at the menu, though it was pointless since she had her drink in mind. An iced soy late with two Splendas would do just fine for her caffeine fix. Finally, Aria gave her order and went in the direction of the counter where her name would be called, per usual and she'd leave the store.

That's when the train reached its final stop – just as Aria reached for her coffee and turned around, only to smack straight into a strong, hard chest. It was the cliché "run into a stranger and spill your coffee all over them" situation, though when Aria looked up to see who's closed she had saturated with her drink and apologize profusely, a warm pair of blue eyes peered down at her. Much to her surprise, they weren't filled with frustration or anger that his crisp white button down had been soiled. Instead, there was amusement in them. She wasn't sure if she liked it.

"God, I'm sorry," Aria said, grabbing a few napkins from the counter behind her to wipe up the stranger's stain, though it was pointless and was only making it spread larger across the fabric. A hand almost as warm as his eyes reached to grab her wrist with a gentle hold, making Aria cease her antics just as he had hoped. "I—I'm such a klutz sometimes." Her speech was stuttered by the mere sparks that erupted when his skin grazed hers. It felt nothing like that with Wesley. There was barely a tingle.

"Its fine," spoke a voice that was almost like velvet, but flowed like honey. Aria bit her lip and finally looked up from her embarrassment, her body frozen when her eyes finally met his. They were darker than she had remembered from seconds earlier, flickering in the dim lighting of the coffee shop. "Happens to the best of us, doesn't it?" The boyish smile her sent her pushed Aria's heart into a fluttering tizzy. Her morals told her to feel guilty that she was feeling such things with someone she barely knew over her boyfriend, but for some reason, she didn't.

"In movies maybe," she chuckled, reluctantly breaking her hand from his to toss the napkin into the trash. "Is there any way I can make it up? A new shirt maybe?"

The stranger smiled and shook his head, taking a sip of his coffee, barely knocked over in their encounter. "What's your name?"

Perplexed, Aria tilted her head to the side, but gave him the answer. "Aria."

"Aria," he spoke, letting the name slip past his lips and toy around in his mouth as if he was trying it on for size. "Aria, just meeting you today was enough." He winked at her with those twinkling blue eyes, the motion making her heart flutter once again before turning on his heel to leave the shop, sipping his coffee and leaving a gob smacked Aria Montgomery in his wake. She hadn't even gotten his name.

* * *

Now Ezra Fitz was a firm believer in fate. He was the type who read the classic love stories and wrote some his own while going through the corporate world of being editor for a publishing house each day. He dressed up in his suit and tie, but behind the gelled back hair and the pressed shirts was a hopeless romantic with the idea of pure and true love which kept him going on the days he neglected to drink coffee or things just weren't going right. On a sour day, the idea of love was the sweet, sugary core that charged him up to keep going. Ezra believed that there was the one person out there for him and as he left the coffee shop that Sunday afternoon, sparks still lingering on his skin, he was sure he'd found her, even through a tiny bit of conversation.

_Aria_ – the name was music and rightfully so. It fitted its beautiful owner, no matter how clumsy she proved herself to be in those few moments when his shirt was covered in coffee. His lips kept wrapping around the syllables, playing with the name. His voice caressed it as he walked down the street towards his apartment with coffee in hand. Ezra's journal was calling him and he knew exactly what to write about. With a weekend in the Hamptons ahead where he'd listen to his mother and aunt drone on and one about how prosperous his brother, Wes, was, he could get a short story done or perhaps a first chapter to a novel.

New York had called Ezra from a young age. He left his upstate home in favor for Columbia University and has resided there since – the city, not the school. It was the culture and the inspiration that it held. Though Ezra had always moved rather quickly in life, it wasn't the faced paced atmosphere, but that every corner, nook, and cranny of New York held something for him to write about, be it a bird or a person he could observe at the park. His feet took him down the cement sidewalks until he came to his apartment building with the familiar face of the doorman smiling at him as he walked through.

"Afternoon, Hank," Ezra hollered. That was the type of person he was; nice, just plain nice with a side of charming and a hint of sarcasm here and there. The older man shot him a smile and a polite wave before going back to his job while Ezra collected the small stack of bills waiting in his mailbox and make his way up to the fourteenth floor, apartment B.

The apartment building had been around for years, but had been renovated during the last two while he'd been living there. His own one bedroom place was quaint and decorated just to his taste with bookshelves lining the walls and items from his world travels after college collecting on any surface he could take up. To some it was crowded. To Ezra, it was home. For a moment he pictured the brunette, Aria, sitting on his couch or chopping something up at his kitchen counter. Call it his mind getting the best of him, but Ezra couldn't seem to get her out of his head, at least until his phone began ringing. The sound vibrated against his pocket and made him jump slightly, fumbling to take the iPhone out of its stowaway compartment.

"Ezra Fitz." His standard greeting, though he had good reason to be formal; authors tended to call him far more frequently than anyone from his personal life.

_"Is it necessary to be so formal over the phone with your brother?" _

Wesley.

"Business, Wes. You know more people call me from the publishing company more than actual people. I'd expect you to remember that from the countless times you've answered my phone," Ezra said, a slight laugh in his voice. It wasn't that he didn't like his younger brother, but he always felt he came second rate. Like Wesley had always been that new toy and Ezra the older model.

_"Right, right. You and your work. You're not the only busy one, y'know." _And boy did Ezra know. How could he forget of how tight Wes' schedule was when his mother continuously talked about it? _"Anyways, I was just calling to see what time you were going up this weekend."_

"Probably around Friday night, why?"

_"Just curious. You know how they all swarm. Plus, I've got myself a guest – that girl I've been talking about for a bit." _Ah, yes, the girl. The girl that Wesley had kept nameless from the whole family until that perfect moment. Something about him being a ladies' man in the past came to Ezra's mind in remembrance. And while Ezra used to be jealous that Wes always had a new flame while he worked his back end off to live comfortably, he wasn't anymore. Because he had met Aria and with some luck, he hoped he'd be seeing her again. If it was meant to be, it was meant to be.

The conversation lasted a few more minutes before Ezra made up some excuse to go over a few manuscripts and escape Wesley's bragging that he sometimes eased into after awhile and he had nothing more to converse about. Grabbing his journal from his desk, Ezra cracked it open and took a pen to scribble one word at the top of the page.

_Aria. _

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**Remember that ten reviews or more will get the next chapter up faster! I hope you all enjoyed!**

**And just for a quick summary, if anyone needs, Aria is dating Wesley, but a chance meeting with Ezra has got her questioning if she's really happy or not. Little does she know that Ezra is her boyfriend's brother. **


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is definitely long overdue, but I've been working so hard to get it up! Next, I'll be working on an update for Heartbeats, so look out for that! **

**I really hope that this chapter gets a few more reviews; I work really hard to get these up for you all and I'd love to see what you have to say about the chapter, any ideas you might have, and whatnot. So, please, please leave a review, even if it's tiny!**

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING.**

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Packing –the most mundane and boring thing a person could do. Treacherous even when the amount of clothes you bring along factors in. Aria Montgomery hated packing more than she hated paying bills or balancing a checkbook and, in some respects, was glad she never had spare cash rolling around to take vacations to another country, much less an hour drive up to the Hamptons. An array of bathing suits was laid upon her bed, each screaming a bright different color. One shade of teal was trying to beat out another shade of bright yellow for a spot in her suitcase until Aria nixed both options and put a deep purple one inside instead and closed the now packed bag with some extra effort.

To her left on her armoire hung a black lace cocktail dress. It had a scalloped neckline and an a-line waist, but cut off just above her knees. Of course, on the mannequin at the store, it stopped just at the thighs, but Aria wasn't a five foot seven inch piece of plastic. A thin black satin ribbon circled the waist and made her look tinier than she really was. The dress, albeit it strapless, was the sort of thing that Aria had deemed appropriate for a family wedding, especially one where his parents didn't even know her first name. Compared to the burgundy lace dress she'd initially picked that revealed her whole back under the see through fabric, she considered this a safer and more elegant choice.

Aria fingered the lace and sighed before passing into bathroom to pack toiletries while she waited for Wesley's knock on her front door. The clock ticked past ten, the small hand now moving to count the seconds that were already passing by. Another sigh left Aria's lips as she finished the little packing left and rolled her suitcase out into the living area of her apartment. Acting as if she was relaxed, bored even, was Aria's way of pushing the nerves aside. And right now, they were wrapped up in a tight bundle in the pit of her stomach, waiting for Wes to come get her so they could start their drive.

His family seemed big; bigger than what Aria was used to with her broken one. He had tons of cousins and aunts and uncles and step-family members; they wedding they were attending belonged to Wesley's first cousin. But it was his immediate family that she was nervous about, not the large extended one. Per what he told her, Aria knew that he had an older brother that he was fairly close to and that he was his mother's pride and joy. The parents were divorced like hers, but because they couldn't get along, not because he'd cheated like her father had. Apparently they even still got along. Aria didn't even know their names, which was odd for her –Wesley's eminent mystery baffled her.

The hands on the clocked now ticked past the six; 10:30. Her boyfriend always had the tendency to be late. Finally, just as she had taken out her phone to call him, the awaited knock sounded on her door and a smile of relief spread over Aria's face. Hand gripping the knob, she pulled it back to reveal Wes in his all his glory, complete with the usual polo and khaki short get up. He was handsome, in his own way. At first, Aria hadn't thought him to be her type. He was stocky and worked out early in the mornings and hated to read, whereas Aria couldn't wake up past eight and read whenever possible. But somewhere along several dates, she found herself content with him and had remained that way ever since.

"Hello, Darling," he cooed, leaning his head in for a chaste kiss that Aria granted him. Things were never passionate with him. Though Aria was happy, she was never swept off her feet. More often than not though did she view that as some bookish fantasy. "Ready to go?"

Aria nodded her head and grabbed her cheetah printed suitcase to give to him and then grabbed the hanger with her dress covered in protective plastic from the store to take out herself. "Absolutely," she smiled while locking the door behind her.

Wesley's Mercedes SUV was parked in front of her building; the lights still on and engine still revving like a lion. Aria always viewed such a large car pointless in a city with such crowded and traffic covered streets. People walked everywhere on the gray concrete and he barely ever used his car. She often would discreetly roll her eyes when he tried to drive somewhere in the monstrous thing. Sometimes she wondered if they were too different from one another.

Hanging her dress up in the back, Aria climbed into the passenger seat, sliding across the smooth leather. Wesley cared about things like that –expensive cufflinks, silk ties, and soft leather seats for his cars; all things that Aria could've cared less about. She liked having nice things, but not everything in her closet was expensive brands and she didn't even own a car.

"Are you excited?" A hand covered hers; she hadn't even realized that Wes had gotten into the car. Aria's mind had drifted from the differences between them both to the man she had accidentally spilled her coffee on days before. Now _he_ was her type. If Aria had been spilled her hot drink on his before meeting Wesley, she was certain that he'd be the one she would be sitting beside right now. Maybe she wasn't as happy as she tried to be.

"Very," Aria replied as they began to drive and his old 90's rock playlist kicked in. "Though, and I'm going to admit it, I'm nervous. What if they don't like me?" It was the age old question, but she couldn't help but ask it anyways.

"They're going to love you."

"And how are you so sure, Wes?"

"Because I do."

With his words, they settled back into a silence, Aria's head eventually lolling to the side. Her eyes flickered to a close, dreaming of a coffee stained shirt for the rest of the drive.

* * *

Aria Montgomery roamed the streets of the Hamptons, breathing in a large bout of fresh air. It had been forever since she'd inhaled something so clear and so clean –the downside to the polluted air of New York City. It was exactly as the books depicted though, with a bright blue and very viewable sky that wasn't saturated with skyscrapers. There were trees with bright green leaves and grass here and there, at least at the large Fitz estate that she'd left Wesley at to adventure around the town. Instead, downtown offered her sidewalks and things she was accustomed to, but the salty smell of ocean water and the sky lingered over her. It was almost like a culture shock to her.

But still, the familiar things like Starbucks and unique bookstores were present to rummage through. It was her saving grace, given the fact that she'd never been one too fond of practical suburban life with white picket fences and mansions dotting every lawn. Aria's constantly pale skin gleamed in the sunlight cast down among the downtown buildings, the astronomical patterned fabric of her dress swishing against her legs. It was a light chiffon –perfect for the hot weather that a summer in New York had to offer those who lived there. The heels of her fringed black boots smacked against the pavement while Aria turned a corner towards the Starbucks in sight. Her lips tingled at the thought of the rich liquid passing her lips; her morning coffee had been neglected on the drive up. But, she figured that while Wesley palled around with a few of his friends that had come up for the weekend too, her daily dosage of caffeine wouldn't go missed.

The scent hit her the minute she walked in, calling to Aria as if she was a drug addict smelling her weapon of choice. But the scent brought on more than just a hankering for coffee –it brought back the image of blue eyes and a coffee stained shirt. She shook her head; it was just a simple moment that happened. She wouldn't be seeing the nameless man again. Or so Aria thought.

"Caramel Frappacino," Aria ordered as she came to the cash register. "Soy instead of milk and extra whipped cream." She'd been on a health kick for awhile now, going to Whole Foods rather than Food Emporium and drinking soy milk instead of the regular kind. Almost as if routine, she moved towards the side after paying and giving her name, waiting for her coffee order to be ready.

And almost as if on cue, the very same train called fate that had been approaching in her home base Starbucks was about to come to a stop right in the Hamptons with a single tap on her shoulder.

"You're stalking me aren't you," said a voice behind her. "Do you honestly feel that horrible about the shirt? I swear it's replaceable."

It's implied in movies that when you see a person a second time by chance, that they're the person you're meant to be with. If you ever proposed the theory in real life, you'd most likely be scoffed at. But for Aria, the thought popped into her head as she turned to see the very same blue eyes that had wormed their way into her brain five minutes earlier, a gasp settled upon her lips.

"Maybe it's because I never got your name," she countered. A soft smile spread over her lips, eerily happy to be seeing him again. He wasn't as formally dressed as he had been when she'd spilled her coffee on him –a plaid shirt replaced the crisp and now probably stained white one, the first few buttons undone to reveal a splash of chest hair that Aria found oddly sexy. His hair wasn't slicked back, but tousled and curled and fanning into his eyes. "It's not polite to leave a lady hanging."

"It's…" The man's lips parted to reveal the burning question Aria had been wondering for the past few days, was interrupted by the call of a barista.

"Ezra!"

The man turned from Aria and reached forward to grab his cup of coffee from the bar inches in front of her. His arm brushed against her wait, not intentionally of course. But Aria couldn't help the fluttering of butterflies that erupted in her stomach; something that had been foreign to her for a long while. A smirk covered his lips as he turned back towards her.

"I think you have an answer."

"Are you going to introduce yourself properly, or am I going to have to assume your name is Ezra and then not be able to find you again; you know how some people give fake names at this place for fun."

"I'm Ezra," he spoke, sticking his hand out for her to shake. "It's nice to meet you formally, Aria." She was shocked that he remembered her name. Sure, this Ezra looked to be a smart man, but most couldn't remember the unusual title her parents had bestowed upon her.

She slipped her small hand into his, letting the soft, but calloused hand of Ezra's to shake hers. "I can't believe you remembered my name."

"You made quite the impression on me."

"In those few minutes?"

"Absolutely," Ezra replied, finally letting go of her hand. "And I'd love if we could see one another again –properly of course. Not just at a Starbucks."

"I'd really like that," she agreed, taking up a spare pen from her purse to scribble her name on his cardboard coffee cup. "Give me a call. I'm only here for the weekend, but I'm presuming you live in the city too?"

When Ezra nodded his reply, she smiled softly. "I'm busy Sunday night, but perhaps something either Saturday?"

"Sounds perfect; I've got something to do Sunday too." She wouldn't dare tell him that it was a wedding for her boyfriend's cousin. In fact, Wesley hadn't popped into her head until right then and there. But for some reason, Aria didn't feel entirely guilty. She couldn't place the feeling, but she wasn't getting the notion of being a bad girlfriend. Aria felt like she was doing something right.

Her name was called for her coffee just as Ezra was bidding her a goodbye and a promise to call soon. She grabbed her Soy Caramel Frappacino with extra whipped cream and as she walked back out towards the sun bathed streets of the Hamptons, Aria Montgomery hadn't thought of Wesley Fitz twice.

* * *

"Quick," Wes' voice sounded, breaking Aria's memory of her afternoon run in with Ezra and sending it into shards and fragments. "My mom will be back from shopping any minute and the rest of them will all be here in five. We've got to be downstairs."

She'd been sitting at the makeshift makeup table that she'd made for herself, but not slicking a new coat of mascara onto her eyelashes and not painting her lips the soft red color of lipstick that was standing upright on the desk. Aria had blindly gotten changed into the electric blue dress she was to wear to dinner that night. Her mind wasn't with her as he body went through the motions of getting ready.

"Sorry," she managed to sputter out, now picking up her tube of lipstick to dab a bit of color to the neutral look she was going for. Aria wasn't about to go all out when Wesley's family lived in a house like this –a bad impression wasn't in the cards tonight. "I'm almost done as it is."

"Just a little bit faster, Ar." Wesley's lips pecked the top of her head, Aria ignoring him completely as she added another touch of mascara. She hated to be rushed, but her boyfriend was the king of pushing people to get a move on. He was like a car stuck in a herd of cows, trying to rev forwards while the obstacles took their time.

"I'm trying," Aria grumbled, placing down the black tube of mascara. She stood up from the makeshift table, hand skimming over her dress the fabric of her dress before slipping into the black pumps she had paired with the outfit tonight. It screamed her name, but was classy and not too outlandish. The look of apology that passed Wesley's face didn't go unnoticed, but she still left the run to wait for him at the staircase.

"Ar," he sighed, finally coming out while fixing his tie. "I'm sorry. I don't know…I'm just nervous. It's the first time you're meeting my family. As cliché as it sounds, I want them to like you, love you, just as much as I do."

For a short moment, Aria imagined what it would be like if the pep talk was being given to her by Ezra instead of Wesley; if getting ready with and sharing a room had all been with Ezra. Would she be as reticent? As moody? The brunette pursed her lips before turning towards her boyfriend. "It's fine; I get it."

"I love you, Aria," Wesley said and she smiled tightly in response while receiving the hand that was trying to pry into hers.

"Now let's not get all mushy; guests are arriving."

Sure enough, the door was opening and the bright voice of Diane Fitz chimed in greeting. Aria had seen pictures of her, but as she and Wes entered the large family room, she was even more elegant, dripping in pearls and perfectly bobbed hair. A bright smile lit up her face, coming forward past all the tiny glass sculptures and elaborate flower arrangements to hug her younger son. Aria felt slightly awkward as the older woman wrapped her arms around Wesley, squeezing him tight.

"Oh, Darling. We've missed you!" As the two conversed, Aria zoned out, still thinking about Ezra, still wondering if her phone could be buzzing that moment with his call. Would he be angry if he found out about Wesley? Was this even going to be anything more than platonic? And most of all, could she really kick up an affair if she wanted to?

"And who is this?" A hand on her shoulder tore Aria away again, a new smile plastered onto her face as Diane seemed to inspect her with cat-like green eyes. "Is this the mystery girl I've heard so much about."

It was a blur –Wesley's hand pressing against her back to introduce her to his mother, Diane shaking her hand, Diane inspecting her outfit with those eyes that seemed almost judgmental. Being introduced to the bride and groom, conversing with the aunt adored Wesley so much. Wondering where said older brother of his was that everyone kept ridiculing for being tardy. Wishing and hoping and praying that she could sneak off later on to see if there would be a new call and voice message from Ezra.

The room fell silent as foot falls echoed down the hallway. Aria could see the knowing smile on Diane's face, almost taunting.

"And that would be our late guest."

All eyes seemed to rest on the doorway to the living room, waiting for the oldest Fitz to make his entrance. And when he did, Aria blinked twice, hoping that the shock of dark, curly hair and bright blue eyes was all an illusion of her hoping that he was calling.

"Ezra," Diane called joyously and the room set back into motion, all except Aria who stood dead in her spot, heart hammering as he came into the room. He wasn't as unruly as he was in the coffee shop, but not as clean kept as he was when she'd spilled her coffee on him. She hadn't moved and his eyes hadn't fallen on her yet. But boy was Aria ready for when they did. Her stomach did flip flops, not mixing well with the glass of champagne she was holding in her hand.

Wesley took her elbow, moving her forwards towards Ezra, a smile present on his face. "You're going to love my brother –you two have got a lot in common, actually." When they were within a two foot distance of him, Ezra smiled widely, eyes landing on Wesley before they did on Aria. She watched as they seemed to bulge out of his head for a moment, lips parted; he was just as in shock as she was.

"Ez, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Aria."

Aria could've sworn she heard Ezra mumble _holy crap_ under his breath.

Holy crap, indeed.


End file.
